Indecision over taking flyover kills 2 friends

A decision to drop one of their friends to his Mira Road residence ended in tragedy for four childhood friends, after their car banged into a 4-ft divider on the Dahisar flyover in the wee hours yesterday. Two friends seated in the left side of the car died on the spot due to the impact, while the driver was discharged after treatment. The passenger who was seated behind him is in a critical condition.

Tragic: Kherwadi resident Ashwin Sangoi (inset) was killed in the car accident after he and his friends went to drop one of their friends to Mira Road. PIc/Ranjeet Jadhav

According to the police, the friends had met up for dinner at a Bandra hotel, and at midnight decided to drop their friend to his house. The four friends — Ashwin Sangoi (53), Rameshchandra Mishra (68), Vasant Shah (60) and Surendra Khanna (61) — decided to take the Western Express Highway, and as they neared Rawalpada Junction, the driver-cum-owner of the brand new car, Shah, was in two minds over whether to take the flyover or drive under it.

In the ensuing confusion among the four friends, police said, Shah lost control as he tried to change lanes and crashed into the divider. Ashwin and Mishra seated on the left side of the car were pronounced dead at the scene, while Khanna is admitted is in the ICU at Bhagwati hospital. Shah was discharged after receiving medical treatment. Sangoi and Khanna are residents of Kherwadi, Bandra (E), while Shah resides at Vile Parle and Mishra in Mira Road. Sangoi, Khanna and Mishra are businessmen while Shah is builder.

Dahisar police have booked Shah and have charged him under sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety) and 304 (causing death by negligence) of the IPC.

Sangoi’s brother said, “It is a very tragic incident for the family, as he has two small children. It will be difficult to answer the kids when they enquire about their father. They all were very good friends and had even conducted many business deals between each other.”